1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to collar protectors and more particularly pertains to a new collar guard system for preventing shirt collars from being soiled, thus reducing cleaning bills and extending the life of shirts.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of collar protectors is known in the prior art. Known prior art collar protectors include U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,119; U.S. Pat. No. 4,008,494; U.S. Pat. No. 4,190,903; U.S. Pat. No. 4,980,927; U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,232; U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,410; U.S. Pat. No. 5,453,296; U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,148; U.S. Pat. No. 3,860,967; U.S. Pat. No. 3,832,737; U.S. Pat. No. 3,200,413; U.S. Pat. No. 2,634,420; U.S. Pat. No. 2,182,582; U.S. Pat. No. 3,022,514; U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,269; U.S. Pat. No. 4,333,980; U.S. Pat. No. 2,164,751; U.S. Pat. No. 2,140,249; U.S. Pat. No. 2,637,034; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,633,576.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new collar guard system. The inventive device includes a first layer of water impervious material with an adhesive on one side for attaching the layer to the collar of a shirt. A second layer of non-woven, moisture absorbent material is attached to the first layer for absorbing moisture from the user's neck. A tapered spacer member is attached to the second layer so as to slightly space the second layer from the user's skin. The first layer, second layer. and spacer member can be disposed within a washable fabric protective cover so as to form a core thereof. A slot is provided on the cover through which the core can be inserted and removed, and a tab is attached to the core so as to facilitate insertion and removal of the core.
In these respects, the collar guard system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of preventing shirt collars from being soiled, thus reducing cleaning bills and extending the life of shirts.